1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to valves and, more specifically, to an in-line catheter valve that prevents the atrophy of the bladder during convalescence and rehabilitation by allowing it to contract and expand as it does during normal function. Typical catheters known in the art utilize gravity to allow urine to drip into a bag at a constant rate as it is introduced to the entry point of the catheter. During this time the bladder remains dormant as it contains a constant amount of fluid and is prone to atrophy. Furthermore, this method requires the user to wear a catheter bag at all times which can be awkward and embarrassing. The present invention seeks to overcome the aforementioned shortcomings by providing an in-line catheter valve that acts as a petcock to allow the user to maintain normal urinary function during rehabilitation or convalescence. The valve is employed on the distal end of the catheter tube and remains closed to allow the bladder to fill and expand until the valve of the present invention is opened by the user to expel the waste contained therein into a waste receptacle such as a toilet or a urinal or into a catheter bag as needed. The bladder contracts as it is emptied and expands as it fills thereby simulating normal function and allows the user to use regular facilities without the need of changing or emptying collection bags.
The in-line catheter valve of the present invention is primarily composed of two adjoining sections including a forward assembly having a tube like structure and a centrally suspended centerpost, with the forward assembly pressed and axially connected to and encapsulating the front distal end of an attachment assembly having an extending hollow form having at its respective connecting distal end's face, an aperture receptive of the centerpost, while formed at the opposing half of the attachment assembly the radius or diameter of the structure is reduced by a plurality of stepped progressions to form a radially descending attachment area for the formation of a frictional attachment resulting from the pressing and or stretching of an elastomeric tube or catheter onto the radially descending attachment area. The attachment assembly of the present invention is of tubular form having on and radially disposed its exterior surface a plurality of gripping elements to help the user in the gripping and application of rotational torque to the attachment assembly so that the integral thread members placed on the distal end may cause the forward assembly to advance when rotated against a set of correlating thread members present about the point of attachment where the forward assembly and attachment assembly conjoin. During the rotation and advancement of the forward assembly the centerpost becomes dislodged from the aperture present at the attachment assembly effectively unplugging the aperture to allow for the free flow of the fluid held back in the attachment assembly to go through the outlet present at the forward assemblies frontmost distal end. Coating the engaging portion of the centerpost and inner engaging circumference of the aperture a gasket is produced having on one portion a flange or ring the correlates in form and engages an indenture or aperture of similar shape made in the structure of the mating gasket to indicate complete closure and formation of a seal and to produce an area with an increased coefficient of friction to form a seal that is not easily overcome by vibration of rubbing of the present invention against the users body preventing unintentional opening or loosening that may otherwise cause leakage. During the prolonged wearing of a urinary catheter the bladder tends to atrophy from the constant drip drain effect of a collection bag, not allowing the bladder to function in a normal manner. The use of a urinary catheter valve mimics the natural expansion and contraction of the bladder, which will actually shorten the convalescence and rehabilitation of the user wearing a urinary catheter for an extended period of time.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other valve devices designed for catheters. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,179 issued to Manschot, et al. Oct. 25, 1977.
Another patent was issued to Larkin on Aug. 9, 1983 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,442. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,346 was issued to Steigerwald on Jan. 23, 1990 and still yet another was issued on Feb. 11, 1992 to Denard as U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,252.
Another patent was issued to Levasseur on Jan. 12, 1993 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,186. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,518 was issued to Schneider et al. on Jun. 21, 1994. Another was issued to Frassica on Feb. 11, 1997 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,537 and still yet another was issued on Aug. 22, 2000 to Pfeiderer et al. as U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,503. Another patent was issued to Eshel on Aug. 7, 2001 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,053.
A two-piece valve including a first tubular member having a flow passageway therethrough with a tapered valve seat formed at one end of the flow passageway. A second tubular member is provided having a flow passageway therethrough and a valve element mounted in the flow passageway on the axis thereof. The first and second tubular members are slidably telescopically engaged with each other with one end of the first tubular member slidably positioned inside one end of the second tubular member. The valve element of the second tubular member has a tapered valve surface formed thereon adapted to move into and out of sealing engagement with the tapered valve seat of the first tubular member when the tubular members are telescoped axially one inside the other. The taper angles of the valve element and seat are in the “self-holding” category so that when the valve element is firmly seated in the valve seat the parts will be retained in mating engagement without any additional retaining means.
An improved in-line sleeve valve comprises a modular tubular port having a stationary plug concentrically supported therein and a reciprocating tubular sleeve arranged for sealing against the stationary flange. A resilient, flexible flange connects the tubular sleeve and the tubular port. The flange is sufficiently elastic allow easy manual displacement of the sleeve from the tubular stationary plug in order to allow the flow of liquid, but is biased in a first direction so as to return the tubular sleeve to a position abutting the stationary plug upon release thereof.
A valve assembly comprising, a hollow body member having a cavity, a compression member received on one end of the body member and having an annular flange aligned with the cavity, a device for adjusting the position of the compression member relative to the body member, and a valve device for sealingly engaging against a catheter passing through the valve device, and responsive to compression by the compression member to immobilize the catheter in the valve device.
The urinary catheter is insertable into the urinary bladder of a human male through the penis and urethra for the withdrawal of urine from the urinary bladder. The catheter comprises an elongated tubular flexible element having a pair of end portions, with the first end portion constituting the leading and of the catheter which is introduced into the urinary bladder. One or more openings are provided in the first end portion for delivering urine from the urinary bladder into the tubular flexible element. The other end portion of the tubular flexible element constitutes the trailing end of the catheter and is not insertable into the penis. Valve means are provided in the other end portion for opening and closing the tubular element to permit withdrawal of urine from the tubular element or collection of urine within the tubular element. A support strap is provided for the tubular element. The strap has an adhesive surface adapted for securing the strap to the penis for preventing the accidental withdrawal of the tubular element from the penis and urethra.
A valve stem and body combination for flow control in fluid delivery systems for biomedical applications. The valve body includes a smaller conduit that can be aligned with an exit port in the valve stem to achieve a flow-through mode of operation. The flow through the stopcock is controlled by axially turning the valve stem within the valve body, thus making the stopcock streamline in operation. A dead stop combination is provided for assuring an open and closed state of the stopcock. In addition, the valve stem and body can be marked to assist the user in aligning the exit port and smaller conduit.
A valve device for a catheter with a catheter hub. A tubular housing has one end provided with an outer cone for fitting into an inner cone of the catheter hub and has a valve body within acting as a locking member of an axial channel for the passage of an elongate object. The housing is provided with an axially directed protrusion forming a radial space together with the outer surface of the outer cone and has a locking member cooperating with a complementary member at the catheter hub projecting into the space so as to act as a disconnection lock. Thus, a valve device is provided that is suitable for use with a catheter system destined for venous applications according to the Seldinger method, and which ensures catheter.
Apparatus and methodology for applying catheters, dilators and occluders to mammalian genitourinary and gastrointestinal passages, using rotational manipulation of threaded or helically-formed catheters and threaded dilators and occluders. Threaded or helical catheters are inserted into the opening of the selected passage far enough to engage a thread segment; the other end of the catheter is then manually rotated to draw the catheter into the passage. Threaded dilators and occluders are similarly applied.
The invention relates to a catheter valve for permanently or discontinuously draining body cavities and discharging urine. The catheter valve consists of a two-component housing having a cylindrical portion and a conical portion. The conical portion houses a shaft that slides along the longitudinal axis of the housing. At a tip of the conical portion is a urine inlet opening that allows urine or other bodily fluids to flow into the catheter. At an opposite end is a urine outlet opening that allows the fluid to flow out of the catheter. The shaft controls the flow of fluid through the catheter by selectively sealing the urine outlet opening on the catheter. In addition, a locking mechanism is provided to keep the shaft apart from the outlet valve, thus allowing free flow of fluid through the catheter.
A catheter valve including a housing engaging at least a portion of a tubular member is provided. The tubular member having distal and proximal open ends defining a flow-through passage therebetween, the tubular member further having a proximal portion of a deformable and therefore twistable structure and a distal portion of a more rigid structure, the proximal portion being partially and circumferentially attached to an inner surface of the housing, wherein dimensions of the housing of the proximal portion and of the distal portion are selected such that when the distal portion is rotated, the proximal portion is twisted so as to block passage of fluid through the tubular member and therefore through the catheter valve and the distal portion is secured by the housing so as to prevent self untwisting of the proximal portion.
While these valves may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described. The in-liner catheter valve of the present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the aforementioned devices of the prior art by allowing the bladder to expand and contract as it does during normal function while allowing the user to selectively release the build-up therein when and where appropriate.